Minister Jeremy Hunt’s Royal Preston Hospital visit is gatecrashed

By Fiona Finch

Published:18:54Tuesday 22 August 2017

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A surprise reception committee was waiting for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt when he arrived at the Royal Preston Hospital today.

The minister was due to attend a private meeting for talks with hospital staff, but protestors from the Protect Chorley and South Ribble Hospital From Cuts and Privatisation campaign marked his visit with a protest at the hospital gates.

Some 13 campaigners, many wearing the distinctive yellow campaign T-shirts and carrying Protect Chorley and South Ribble A& E and other posters stood at the hospital’s main entrance, calling for an end to privatisation of the health service, increased funding and the full reopening of Chorley’s A&E unit, which closed due to lack of staff and reopened in January for 12 hours a day.

Spokeswoman Sue Holdsworth, said: “My message to Jeremy Hunt is the NHS is a national institution and belongs to the people of England and should be treated with respect and not sold off piecemeal.” Mr Hunt also visited Southport district hospital. He was unavailable for comment.

The minister was due to attend a private meeting for talks with hospital staff, but protestors from the Protect Chorley and South Ribble Hospital From Cuts and Privatisation campaign marked his visit with a protest at the hospital gates.

Some 13 campaigners, many wearing the distinctive yellow campaign T-shirts and carrying Protect Chorley and South Ribble A& E and other posters stood at the hospital’s main entrance, calling for an end to privatisation of the health service, increased funding and the full reopening of Chorley’s A&E unit, which closed due to lack of staff and reopened in January for 12 hours a day.

Spokeswoman Sue Holdsworth, said: “My message to Jeremy Hunt is the NHS is a national institution and belongs to the people of England and should be treated with respect and not sold off piecemeal.” Mr Hunt also visited Southport district hospital. He was unavailable for comment.

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